Monochrome Sovereign (Novel) - Chapter 10 - What Takes Precedence Over Family Law (4)
Chapter 10 – What Takes Precedence Over Family Law (4)
===================
Translated by Heavenly Cat
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
===================
“Phew, Brother. I was so nervous.”
“Huh? Why?”
Yeon Ji-pyeong let out a groan.
“I was so anxious, thinking Father might get angry.”
He seemed to have been very tense watching his brother deal with their father without hesitation.
Yeon Ho-jeong laughed involuntarily.
“Hey, is Father some kind of soldier? Is he our superior?”
“It’s not like that, but…”
“No matter what anyone says, Father is Father, and you and I are his children. What’s wrong with a child wanting to treat their father in a friendly manner?”
“Heh.”
Yeon Ji-pyeong stared blankly at Yeon Ho-jeong. It seemed he had never thought of it that way before.
Yeon Ho-jeong pulled his brother’s cheek.
“This guy.”
“Ugyagyagya! It hurts!”
“Don’t be too afraid of Father.”
“Pardon?”
The smile Yeon Ho-jeong gave his brother was very soft, unlike the Dark Emperor who was called the terror of the Orthodox Murim.
“Do you think Father wants to maintain only stiffness before his children? Since there are family laws and family regulations, isn’t he doing that to set an example himself?”
“Ah…”
“Well, even so, I think he goes a bit too far.”
“Urgh!”
“Father is a person who has lived like that his whole life, and he will continue to live like that. And his heart that loves his children will also remain unchanged.”
Yeon Ho-jeong turned around.
“Don’t wait for affection, and don’t try to be rewarded for it. It’ll be a bit tough, but that’s better for your mental health.”
“I-is that so?”
“There’s no law that says only parents should wait for their children, right?”
Looking at Yeon Ho-jeong, who had already walked far away, Yeon Ji-pyeong smiled.
“Thinking about it, that’s true.”
His brother had first dissolved his hatred for him. However, it was his own courageous action that verified that result.
The relationship with his father was a bit different from that, but in the broad sense, it was no different.
“…But I’m still scared.”
* * *
Early the next morning.
“We greet the Eldest Young Master.”
Unlike before, the Twin Guards at the gate offered a disciplined greeting.
Yeon Ho-jeong nodded.
“I’ve come to see Father.”
“Yes.”
They seemed to have received word in advance. Swordsman-Guard and Saber-Guard, the two opened the door leading to the Clan Head’s office.
The sight seen through the wide-open door was strangely new.
“The Clan Head is currently at the training ground. You may go there.”
“I see.”
Behind the Clan Head’s office, passing through a modest bamboo forest, an open training ground appeared.
Vroom.
Approaching the training ground, Yeon Ho-jeong momentarily felt a strange resonance rising from his Dantian. Even though he had not focused his intent on his internal energy, his true qi stirred.
‘Synchronization.’
The Flying Swallow Qi seemed at a loss what to do. The true qi itself seemed frightened yet excited.
That was because of Yeon Wi.
Whooooosh.
A beautiful auspicious aura was blooming from the body of Yeon Wi, who sat in a lotus position in the center of the training ground.
Though he had never learned it, he knew what martial art it was. Within the pressure that dominated the entire training ground, the sharp and noble atmosphere was the highlight.
‘Sword-Limit Thought Qi.’
Sword-Limit Thought Qi was also one of the Five Great Divine Arts.
‘Amazing.’
It wasn’t a question of whether he had mastered it or not.
Countless refined qi had been compressed beyond saturation, and the compressed qi had expanded again, filling his entire body.
His understanding of true qi was in a different dimension from other martial artists. It was as if he were shouting that he was the Clan Head of the Yeon family.
Wooo. Wooo.
The emanating qi gradually decreased.
“You have come.”
He spoke even during his circulation.
The moment a martial artist is most vulnerable is when they are performing meditative breathing. Because extreme concentration is required, one becomes insensitive to external qi, and even a small shock can lead to an irreversible situation.
Yeon Wi was free from even the danger of circulation. The Yeon Clan Head’s realm was that great.
‘At least he is not below the Namgung Clan Head.’
Having clashed with the Orthodox Murim, he knew the level of the Nine Great Sects and Seven Great Clans better than anyone. In Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes, his father’s martial arts were among those vying for the lead even within the Seven Great Clans.
“Are you prepared?”
“Yes.”
“Sit here.”
Yeon Ho-jeong stepped onto the training ground.
Though it wasn’t a great height, it felt as if he were climbing a very high staircase.
Yeon Ho-jeong sat in the center of the training ground and took the lotus position. It was the same spot where Yeon Wi had been performing his circulation until just now.
“Recite the oral formula of the Jade Gauze True Formula.”
Yeon Ho-jeong calmly recited the oral formula.
Yeon Wi’s eyes sparkled.
“You certainly remember it well.”
“Yes.”
He sat behind Yeon Ho-jeong and placed his hand on the Gate of Life acupoint.
“Move the Flying Swallow Qi according to the oral formula of the Jade Gauze True Formula. I will assist in the transformation of the true qi.”
Woooooo.
No sooner had Yeon Wi finished speaking than Yeon Ho-jeong pulled up his Flying Swallow Qi.
Yeon Wi’s eyebrows twitched.
‘He is hurried, as expected.’
He understood the heart. Since he had been bound to the Flying Swallow Cultivation Method for ten years, he would have wanted to learn a high-level martial art immediately.
However, it is difficult to master a divine art with a hurried nature. It was something he had mentioned yesterday, but it seemed he hadn’t accepted it properly.
Yeon Wi calmly guided the boiling Flying Swallow Qi.
‘Once the circulation is over, I will once again sternly…’
It was then.
Vroooooom!
In an instant, the Flying Swallow Qi rose with full power.
The orbit according to Yeon Wi’s intention was only once. Yet, the Flying Swallow Qi was boiling like crazy.
‘Danger!’
Rumble!
Yeon Wi, who had been trying to control the qi, was startled.
The Flying Swallow Qi was traversing the acupoints at an incredible speed. That speed was faster and more passionate than anyone he had ever seen before.
And it was smooth.
Natural and brilliant. It was like watching a river that was fierce but followed its path.
Vrooooom!!
The Flying Swallow Qi, which had completed several orbits with a storm-like momentum, gradually met a change.
In terms of color, it was as if a light green wave was changing into a blue color like a cloudless sky. The color of the clear sky, a blue net.
It changed. The true qi.
Into a higher-dimensional qi, into a more majestic qi.
‘Jade Gauze True Qi!’
The speed at which the Flying Swallow Qi transformed into the Jade Gauze True Qi transcended imagination.
Ssssssss!
The shape and size of the Dantian also changed. It was as if a reasonably spacious house was becoming as wide as a palace.
It was a surprise like no other. Even when Yeon Wi himself moved from the Flying Swallow Cultivation Method to the Sword-Limit Thought Qi, he had invested a full fifteen days just in the transformation of true qi. His father had even given him a rare praise, saying that it was fast.
His son was different.
In a circulation that had not even lasted half a shijin, his son had transformed almost all of the Flying Swallow Qi into the Jade Gauze True Qi.
‘How can this be?’
A moment later.
“Whoo.”
Yeon Ho-jeong, who was controlling his breathing, gradually gathered his qi.
Yeon Wi was surprised once more.
‘He is skillfully gathering his qi. It’s as familiar as if he has been doing it his whole life.’
He had only given it a single nudge, but the carriage had already descended the mountain and reached its destination.
‘Amazing.’
Flash!
Yeon Ho-jeong opened his eyes.
An intense gaze, different from before, dwelled in his two eyes. His pupils, which had a faint blue light, gradually returned to their original color.
“It is finished.”
“I see.”
“Thank you for the guidance.”
Yeon Wi stared blankly at his son.
His son showed no sign of joy. He was just infinitely composed.
As if he had expected this as a matter of course.
“My help was not needed.”
“Yes.”
It was a candid answer.
“However, it was a meaningful moment because I could feel Father’s qi.”
What those words meant, this time too, Yeon Wi did not know.
It was after half a gak had passed that Yeon Wi, who had been silent again, spoke.
“You said you know all the oral formulas of the Five Great Divine Arts?”
“Yes.”
“The reason you chose the Jade Gauze True Formula among them must surely be because of its stability, right?”
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.
“That is correct.”
The Five Great Divine Arts were all martial arts with no excess or deficiency. However, each of their individualities was distinct.
Among them, the most majestic yet stable martial art was the Jade Gauze True Formula. Even if the true qi was operated violently, the burden placed on the body was less than other divine arts.
At the same time, it also possessed an output not inferior to the other four divine arts. Considering Yeon Ho-jeong’s character, choosing the Jade Gauze True Formula was the right choice.
Yeon Wi hesitated, which was rare.
There was something he wanted to say to his son. However, he himself did not know what those words were.
A moment later, he nodded and spoke.
“If there is anything blocking you, come to me then.”
“I understand.”
“You’ve worked hard.”
There wasn’t as much conversation as yesterday. However, the father and son shared much more than yesterday.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who was about to bow his head and descend from the training ground, suddenly looked at the weapon display rack.
Numerous weapons were displayed there.
“You train with many weapons?”
“A martial artist should, in general, be able to produce the same power as their original martial art even with a mere tree branch in their hand. To do that, an understanding of more weapons is necessary.”
It was true.
The Jianghu is a place where one does not know when or by whom they might die. To do that, one must know how to implement their best martial arts even in the worst moments.
Yeon Ho-jeong learned that while fighting, and Yeon Wi learned it himself.
“May I take a few?”
“Hmm?”
Yeon Wi became curious about what this surprising son of his would demand again.
“It doesn’t matter. What will you take?”
“For now, an iron Long Staff.”
“An iron staff?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
The corners of Yeon Ho-jeong’s mouth were curved into a smile, but his two eyes were being dyed with an unknown ferocity.
“An axe.”
* * *
“…So, I expect it will take about five to six months to fully heal.”
Looking down at the young woman who had splints all over her body, the middle-aged man asked.
“Internal injuries?”
“They are not as serious as expected. However, if there is a problem, it is the heart wound rather than internal injuries.”
“Heart wound?”
“Yes, it seems she has received some kind of great shock. The internal injuries will be caught soon, and the treatment for external injuries will end in half a year, but there is no way to do anything about the mental shock.”
“I see.”
The middle-aged man, Namgung In, looked much calmer than expected.
He patted the doctor’s shoulder.
“She grew up wild, but she is still a child of the Namgung. She should be able to overcome the wound in her heart. Please look after her with all your heart and sincerity.”
The doctor bowed as if it were an honor.
“How could there be any question? It is only half a year at the most; she will be able to recover faster than that.”
“I trust only you.”
Namgung In, who patted the doctor’s shoulder several times, left the medical room.
Namgung In looked up at the sky for a moment.
To such a Namgung In, a young man approached.
“Father.”
“Is it Hyeon?”
He was a beautiful man whose elegance reached the heavens. Nevertheless, his physique was imposing, creating a mysterious atmosphere.
He was Namgung In’s second son, Namgung Hyeon.
“How is Sang-hwa?”
“She was beaten quite severely.”
His father was someone who did not exaggerate or boast under any circumstances. If such a father said she was beaten severely, she must have been beaten really badly.
Namgung In shook his head.
“Looking into the details of the incident, Sang-hwa did do wrong. It was a path I sent her on to learn and accumulate more, but it seems she became even worse instead.”
“She was originally a child with much vanity and arrogance. Rather, it would be good if she grows based on this experience.”
“I think so as well.”
“However.”
Namgung Hyeon’s gaze turned chilly.
“There is no need to forgive a robber just because you came to know the value of life after meeting one.”
“The opponent is the Yeon family.”
“It is a clan only fifty years old.”
“It is a clan that made the Six Great Clans into the Seven Great Clans in a mere fifty years. Murim people are not fools. If they didn’t have that much qualification, they wouldn’t have dared to place their name alongside the Six Great Clans.”
“No matter how great they are, they touched the Namgung.”
“The justification also lies with the Yeon family.”
Namgung Hyeon was silent for a moment.
Namgung In spoke in a calm tone.
“Your uncle has already even apologized.”
“An apology?”
“Yes.”
The corners of Namgung Hyeon’s mouth went up.
“Then the Yeon family will also bury this incident?”
“Even if we didn’t apologize, they would do so.”
“However, since an apology was made, they will be relieved.”
“Probably.”
“Uncle made a mistake, but it seems he handled the aftermath quickly and well.”
“If we are going to harass the Yeon family, then that is the case.”
Namgung In looked at Namgung Hyeon.
Even after seeing his son’s chilly gaze, Namgung In’s expression was still calm. His unchanging expression was similar to Yeon Wi’s, but the quality was different.
“Are you planning to endure it, Father?”
“Of course. I have no intention of making a bad move by engaging in a struggle with such a force just because one child was broken.”
He spoke cold words with a kind and calm face.
Even after hearing those words from his father, Namgung Hyeon smiled.
“You should. The head of a clan should not act rashly over such a matter.”
Namgung In gave a strange smile.
“Do you intend to go for a stroll in Jiangsu Province?”
“How could that be? Since the justification lies over there, there is nothing good about being in a hurry.”
“Then?”
Namgung Hyeon asked in an implicit voice.
“When was the meeting of the rising stars of the Seven Great Clans this year?”